Billing Code 4310-55 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 [FWS–R3–ES–2013–0017; 4500030113] RIN 1018-AZ58 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for Dakota Skipper and Poweshiek Skipperling AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Proposed rule. SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, propose to designate critical habitat for the Dakota skipper and Poweshiek skipperling under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The Endangered Species Act requires that critical habitat be designated to the maximum extent prudent and determinable for species determined to be endangered or 1 threatened species. The effect of this regulation is to designate critical habitat for the Dakota skipper and Poweshiek skipperling under the Endangered Species Act. DATES: Written Comments: We will accept comments received or postmarked on or before [INSERT DATE 60 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]. Comments submitted electronically using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES section, below) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date. We must receive requests for public hearings, in writing, at the address shown in ADDRESSES by [INSERT DATE 45 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER]. Public Informational Meetings: To better inform the public of the implications of the proposed listing and to answer any questions regarding this proposed rule, we plan to hold five public informational meetings. We have scheduled informational meetings regarding the proposed rule in the following locations: (1) Minot, North Dakota, on November 5, 2013, at the Souris Valley Suites, 800 37th Avenue SW; (2) Milbank, South Dakota, on November 6, 2013, at the Milbank Chamber of Commerce, 1001 East 4th Avenue; (3) Milford, Iowa, on November 7, 2013, at the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory, 1838 Highway 86; (4) Holly, Michigan, on November 13, 2013, at the Rose Pioneer Elementary School, 7110 Milford Road; and (5) Berlin, Wisconsin, on November 14, 2013, at the Berlin Public Library, 121 West 2 Park Avenue. Except for the meeting in Berlin, Wisconsin, each informational meeting will be from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; the meeting in Berlin, Wisconsin will be from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by one of the following methods: (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS–R3–ES–2013–0017, which is the docket number for this rulemaking. You may submit a comment by clicking on “Comment Now!” If your comments will fit in the provided comment box, please use this feature of http://www.regulations.gov, as it is most compatible with our comment review procedures. If you attach your comments as a separate document, our preferred file format is Microsoft Word. If you attach multiple comments (such as form letters), our preferred format is a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel. (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS–R3–ES–2013–0017; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042–PDM; Arlington, VA 22203. We request that you send comments only by the methods described above. We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that we will post any personal information you provide us (see the Public Comments section below for more information). The coordinates or plot points or both from which the maps are generated are included in the administrative record for this critical habitat designation and are available at (http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Endangered/), www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS–R3–ES– 3 2013–0017, and at the Twin Cities Ecological Services Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Any additional tools or supporting information that we may develop for this critical habitat designation will also be available at the Fish and Wildlife Service website and Field Office set out above, and may also be included at http://www.regulations.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Fasbender, Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Twin Cities Ecological Services Office, 4101 American Boulevard East, Bloomington, Minnesota, 55425, by telephone 612–725–3548 or by facsimile 612–725–3609. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800–877–8339. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Executive Summary Why we need to publish a rule. Under the Endangered Species Act (Act), any species that is determined to be a threatened or endangered species requires critical habitat to be designated, to the maximum extent prudent and determinable. Designations and revisions of critical habitat can only be completed by issuing a rule. Elsewhere in today’s Federal Register, we propose to list the Dakota skipper (Hesperia dacotae) and Poweshiek skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek) as endangered species under the Act. This rule proposes to designate critical habitat for Dakota skipper and Poweshiek skipperling. 4 We are proposing critical habitat for Dakota skipper and Poweshiek skipperling under the Act. Approximately 11,243 hectares (ha) (27,782 acres (ac)) are being proposed for designation as critical habitat for the Dakota skipper in Chippewa, Clay, Kittison, Lincoln, Murray, Norman, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, and Swift Counties in Minnesota; McHenry, McKenzie, Ransom, Richland, Rolette, and Wells Counties in North Dakota; and Brookings, Day, Deuel, Grant, Marshall, and Roberts Counties in South Dakota. Approximately 10,596 ha (26,184 ac) are being proposed for designation as critical habitat for the Poweshiek skipperling, in Cerro Gordo, Dickinson, Emmet, Howard, Kossuth, and Osceola Counties in Iowa; in Hilsdale, Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Oakland, and Washtenaw Counties in Michigan; Chippewa, Clay, Cottonwood, Douglas, La Qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Murray, Norman, Pipestone, Pope, Swift, and Wilkin Counties in Minnesota; Ransom, Richland, and Sargent Counties in North Dakota; Brookings, Day, Deuel, Grant, Marshall, Moody, and Roberts Counties in South Dakota; and Green Lake and Waukesha Counties in Wisconsin. In total, approximately 15,797 ha (39,035 ac) is being proposed as critical habitat for both species combined, as approximately 6,042 ha (14,931 ac) of proposed critical habitat is common to both species. The basis for our action. Under the Endangered Species Act, any species that is determined to be a threatened or endangered species shall, to the maximum extent prudent and determinable, have habitat designated that is considered to be critical habitat. Section 4(b)(2) of the Endangered Species Act states that the Secretary shall designate and make revisions to critical habitat on the basis of the best available scientific data after taking into consideration the economic impact, national security impact, and any other relevant impact of specifying any particular area as critical habitat. The Secretary may exclude an area from critical habitat if she 5 determines that the benefits of such exclusion outweigh the benefits of specifying such area as part of the critical habitat, unless she determines, based on the best scientific data available, that the failure to designate such area as critical habitat will result in the extinction of the species. We are preparing an economic analysis of the proposed designations of critical habitat. In order to consider economic impacts, we are preparing an analysis of the economic impacts of the proposed critical habitat designations and related factors. We will announce the availability of the draft economic analysis as soon as it is completed, at which time we will seek additional public review and comment. We will seek peer review. We are seeking comments from independent specialists to ensure that our critical habitat proposal is based on scientifically sound data and analyses. We have invited these peer reviewers to comment on our specific assumptions and conclusions in this critical habitat proposal. Because we will consider all comments and information we receive during the comment period, our final determinations may differ from this proposal. Information Requested We intend that any final action resulting from this proposed rule will be based on the best scientific and commercial data available and be as accurate and as effective as possible. Therefore, we request comments or information from other concerned government agencies, the scientific community, industry, or any other interested party concerning this proposed rule. We particularly seek comments concerning: 6 (1) The reasons we should or should not designate habitat as “critical habitat” under section 4 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), including whether there are threats to the species from human activity, the degree of which can be expected to increase due to the designation, and whether that increase in threat outweighs the benefit of designation such that the designation of critical habitat may not be prudent. (2) Specific information on: (a) The amount and distribution of Dakota skipper and Poweshiek skipperling habitat; (b) What areas, that were occupied at the time of listing (or are currently occupied) and that contain features essential to the conservation of the species, should be included in the designation and why; (c) Special management considerations or protection that may be needed in critical habitat areas we are proposing, including how to implement livestock grazing, haying, or prescribed fire in a manner that is conducive to the conservation of Dakota skipper or Poweshiek skipperling, and managing for the potential effects of climate change; and (d) What areas not occupied at the time of listing are essential for the conservation of the species and why. (3) Land use designations and current or planned activities in the subject areas and their possible impacts on proposed critical habitat. (4) Information on the projected and reasonably likely impacts of climate change on the Dakota skipper and Poweshiek skipperling and proposed critical habitat.